Method of producing gas



Filed Nov. 15. 1920 'L l. I ATTORNEYS.

Patented lylar. 1.6, 1926.

GEORGE-L. REICHHELM, F NEW YORK,

PANY, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A

Y., ASSIGIN'QIR` T0 THE GASHIEE COM- COBPOBATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

METHOD or rEoDUcING eas.

Application led November 15, 1920. Serial No. 424,089.-

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE' L. REICH- HELM, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented cer-I tain'new and useful Improvements in Methods of Producing Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and means for producing gas.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, elicient, reliable and safe method of reducing gas from raw fuel, such as oil and) the like.

This and other objects are -accomplished by means ofthe disclosure on the accompanying sheet of drawing, in which the single figure is a longitudinal vertlcal sectlonal 'view of my gasier in connection withwhlch my method 1s practiced.

Referring to the drawing, 1t will be noted that the gasier includes a base 10, to which is secured a main chamber 11. At the upper end of the base a burner 12 is provided having an 4annular gas passageway 13 from which orifices 14 extend for directing gases into a main combustion chamber 15 formed by an annular wall 16 having at its upper cone-shaped end a plurality of openings 17 to permit the escape of products of combustion into an annular vaporlzlng chamber -18 .formed between the wall 16 and a second wall 19, both of which are located Y within the outer casing 11. The upper end 4 air is supplied through a of the casing 11 is provided with a window 20 of mica, or any other suitable substance, which provides a eek-hole to observe the condition of the amel in the combustion chamber 15. The vaporizing chamber 18 is provided with a helical shelf 21, the upper end of which communicates with an oil supply 22, which oil is to be converted into a.

gas in a manner to be described hereinafter, the gas passing from the vaporizing chamber 18 through an opening 23.in the lower part of the wall 19 and out through a pipe 24 to a communicating connection 25, to which (pipe 26 so that ,the gas and air maybe mixe 'for use in av furnace or engine. A small amount (about two percent) .of the generated gas is drawn out of the ipe 24 through a pipe 27 by the action o1P air passing through a valve controlled pipe 28, the mixture of air and gas being supplied to the annular gas chamber -nating in an .lupwardl of the from the combustion chamber 13 from which the gas passes through orifices 14 and is igmted at the burner for heatin 21, an producing` products of combustion for a purpose to e considered hereinafter. The base is provided with a burner in the form of a pipe coil 29.,having a plurality lof apertures 30 through which a mixture of @as and air may pass the `gas being `ro ided from any suitable source 31 andpthe v `air being supplied through-a pipe'32 and mixing with the gas in pipe 33. to forma combustible mixture.

` the walls 16, 19, and helical shelf In starting to operate the gasifier a cover 34 for the base is temporarily removed for the purpose of inserting a torch, or the like, for igniting the combustible mixture passing through the apertures 30. To direct the flame an air supply isprovided through a valve-controlled pipe v35, said pipe termi extending portion within the middle of t e coil 29. As a result of this arrangement the flame caused I by the passage of gas thro the a ertures 30 is shot upwardly throiiglll the dpenings 36 1n a cap 37 screwed into. the burner 12, this kllame heating the burner 12 and initially heating the walls 16 and 19 and helical shelf 21, and furnishing products of combustion. After Ithe burner is properly heated, oil is permitted to flow from-the supply source 22 onto the helical shelf 21.' As a result of thel walls 16 and 19 and the shelf 21 being heated, the oil which is supplied to the latter isv vaporized, the vapor tending to gravitate or move downwardly through the `winding passageway between portions of the shelf toward the outlet 23. Under givenV conditions the oil supply to the shelf 21 wouldleave a residuum of carbon or a cai" bon deposit,'depending upon the temperature shelf, but the products of combustion 15, which pass outwardly through the apertures 17, sweep the vapors from the shelf, carryin them downin their natural direction, t at is, downwardly, since these vapors are heavier than air, especially in the case of therelatively heavy fuels. The resultant mixture lformed in the vaporizing chamber 19 passes outwardly through the -pipe 24. When the forced therethrough for drawing off a certain amount of gas from the pi e 24, the air and gas mixing to' form a com ustible mix- .valve 38 in the air line 28 is open, air is ture which is ignited in passing through the orifices 14C of the burner 12. The gas supplied to the burner 12 is the main supply for heating the walls 16 and 19 and the shelf 21 and for providing the products of combustion, which pass downwardly through the vaporizing chamber 18. It will be understood that the gas which is formed in the vaporizing chamber 18 is very rich and will not in such condition support combustion, and, as a matter of fact, substantially no oxygen is carried into the vaporizing chamber 1S because the oxygen passed into the combustion chamber 15 is substantially completely consumed before it. passes into the vaporizing chamber 1S. and if any oxygen were left in the products of combustion. it would be taken up and enriched so apidly in the vaporizing chamber as to make combustion in said chamber absolutely impossible. This main supply of gas generated in the vaporizing chamber 1S is then passed ofi' through the pipe 24 into the connection Q5, where it is mixed with air pass ing through pipe 2G for providing a combustible mixture to be used in any desired manner. Thegases of combustion passing from the combustion chamber 15 to the vaporizing chamber 18 serve first to heat the walls 16 and 19 and shelf `21 to the proper degree for vaporizing the fuel or oil supplied to the helical shelf 2l. The products of combustion also act as a vehicle in that the products of combustion sweep the vapor from the helical shelfk 21 and prevent the deposit of carbon. These products of combustion contain substantially no free oxygen and accordingly in sweeping over the helical shelf 21 the vapors are taken up by the gas before same are heated to a temperature sufficient to make a deposit. The products of combustion also serve to furnish the heat for fixing the gas formed by the mixture of the vapor generated in the vaporizingv chamber 18 and the products of combustion supplied thereto. Accordingly, in its simplest terms I accomplish the following: First, the expanding of the fuel into vapors; second, causing products of combustion to sweep over the helical shelf to prevent the deposit of carbon from the vapors; third, causing the vapors and products of combustion to mix to form a mixture Which is heated by the products of combustion to the point of fixing. It will be understood that if the temperature of the resultant mixture of vapor and products of combustion is not raised to a certain predetermined point, the mixture Will be a vaporous one. Accordingly, the condition of the mixture may be controlled, a given temperature being provided if a vaporous mixture is desired, and a higher temperature provided if a fixed mixture is desired.

There may be various modifications of my invention herein disclosed, and it is my intention to cover all suoli modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

l claim:

1. The method of producing gas from a low grade hydrocarbon fuel which consists in applying said fuel to a` heated surface and propelling the resulting vaporized fuel with a gravitational sweeping movement of constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends, along said surface by means of a hot combustion gas, whereby to prevent the deposit of carbon.

:2. 'l`he method of producing gas from raw hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing said fuel and causing a gravitational flow in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends, of the result-ing vapor in and b v a moving combustion gas to prevent deposit of carbon.

Il. The method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing l.said l'uel. causing a gravitational movement in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends, of said vapor by and in a vehicle comprising a moving combustion gas` to prevent the deposit of carbon. and heating the vaporized fuel during said gravitational movement.

4. The method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing the fuel and causing` a gravitational movement in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends. of said vaporized fuel in and h v a vehicle of combustion gas while said vaporizing is being accomplished to prevent the deposit of carbon.

5. The method of producing gas from h 'drocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing the fuel, mixing products of combustion therewith, directing said vaporized fuel and said products of combustion with a gravitational movement, free of abrupt bends, in a constantly changing direction, and burn ing Iair with a portion of the resultant mixture to provide the source of said products of combustion.

6. The method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing` said fuel by means of heat, causing a gravitational flow, free of abrupt bends, in a constantly changing direction, of said vapor in a rich non-combustion supporting condition, and providing products of combustion for propelling said rich gas in said gravitational flow.

7. The method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing said fuel by means of heat, causing a gravi. tational flow in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bendsgof said vapor in a rich non-combustion supporting condition. providing products of combustion for propelling said rich gas in said gravitational llt) flow, and mixing a lilnited amount of air with a portion of said rich gas for providing said products of combustion.

8. The method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel consistingr in vaporizing the fuel, mixing products of combustion therewith, and directing said vaporized fuel and said products of' combustion with a gravitational movement, free of abrupt bends, in a constantly changing direction.

9. The method of producing gas from a low grade hydrocarbon fuelwhich consists in producing products of combustion to provide a gaseous propelling vehicle and to provide. heat, vaporizing lo1 grade hydrocarbon fuel by means of said heat, and causing said gaseous vehicle to propel said vaporizcd fuel with a gravitational movement in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends, to prevent the deposit of carbon.

l0. 'lhe method of producing gas from hydrocarbon fuel which consists in heating a surface by burning a fuel in proximity to said surface to produce a gaseous vehicle and to heat said surface, applying said hy drocarbon fuel to said heated surface to vaporize said fuel, and causing said gaseous vehicle to propel said vaporized fuel along said heated surface with a gravitational movement, free of abrupt bends, in a constantly changing direction.

1l. The method of producing gas from a low grade hydrocarbon fuel which consists in vaporizing said fuel by applying the hydrocarbon fuel to a heated surface, propelling said vaporized fuel with a gravitational movement of constantly changing direction,

free of abrupt bends, b v means of a gaseous medium, mixing a predetermined amount of air with a portion of the resulting gas. and burning said air and gas mixture to produce a continuous supply of gaseous medium and for keepingsaid surface in a heated condition.

l2. The method of continuously producing gas from low grade hydrocarbon fuel, consisting of vaporizing said fuel, propelling the resulting vapor by means of a combustion gas With a gravitational movement, free of abrupt bends. in a constanthY changing direction` a uit subjecting said` vapor to heat.

13. The method of producing gas from raw hydrocarbon fuel consisting in applying said fuel to a hot surface and propelling the resulting vaporized fuel with a gravitational movement in a constantly changing direction, free of abrupt bends, by means of a gaseous medium, which gaseous medium is obtained by the combustion of part of said vaporized fuel with air.

14. The method of producing gas from raw hydrocarbon fuel consisting in vaporizing said fuel and propelling the resulting vapor in a helical movement, free of abrupt bends` using a combustion gas for propelling said vapor and using part of said treated vaporized fuel in combination with air to provide said combustion gas, and applying the heat from said combustion gas centrally of said helical movement.

Signed at New York, New York, this 10th day of November, 1920.

GEORGE L. REICHHELM. 

